In the ongoing battle against illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has announced plans to amend the Minerals Act if elected president.
A key aspect of this proposal involves the participation of Chiefs in the mineral licensing process, ensuring their involvement prior to granting any mining licenses in specific regions.
Dr. Bawumia unveiled this initiative during his address to the Western Regional House of Chiefs on Thursday, May 2, 2024, as part of his campaign tour in the area.
He underscored the current absence of traditional authorities in the mining licensing process, identifying it as a significant hurdle confronting the Small-Scale Mining Sector.
To tackle this challenge, he proposed amending the Minerals Act to incorporate Chiefs into his envisioned formalization program for the mining industry, contingent upon his assumption of the presidency.
“We aim to formalize small-scale mining, but this endeavor cannot succeed without the involvement of Chiefs. Chiefs must be part of the licensing process for miners in their communities. They must be integral to the entire process. Therefore, we must make the necessary adjustments to the Mining Act to achieve these objectives. This includes decentralizing the Mineral Commission to operate within various districts and decentralizing the Environmental Protection Agency,” Dr. Bawumia emphasized.
